Foods to Avoid or Limit

Here are some foods you should avoid or limit your intake of. That's not to say that all of these will kill you!- once in a while is ok, but it's best to try to avoid eating these things on a daily basis for the sake of your lifelong health.

Oils such as palm kernel oil, butter, coconut oil, vegetable shortening, and hard margarine should be avoided or limited. These contain high amounts of trans and saturated fats. Coconut oil, for example contains even more saturated fat than animal products! These potentially dangerous fats are linked directly to clogging arteries, which can cause heart attacks and heart disease. Foods that are especially high in these oils include popcorn, french fries, and most packaged foods. Oils such as virgin olive oil, flax and fish oil are healthy in moderation. These monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are actually linked to lowering "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and increasing "good" cholesterol (HDL). These fats can be found in sources like nuts, avocados, and fish.

Other things to be limited include processed sugars and flours. These are commonly known as "white" flour or sugar and are present in baked goods, sweets, and processed breads. Processed foods and ingredients are considered the simplest carbohydrates and cause blood sugar levels to rise suddenly, and plummet just as quickly. When consistently consumed, unsteady fluctuations in blood sugar can lead to low energy, and even more serious problems down the road such as obesity and diabetes. Instead of eating processed foods such as white rice and white bread, choose complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and whole grain bread.

*Also, while many breads are advertised as "whole wheat," this does not mean that they are "whole grain." Even completely processed white wonderbread can be considered whole wheat. Whole grain means that the wheat in the flour contains the whole head of grain, and was not processed. Whole grain is always the better choice because it is a complex carbohydrate. Watch out for this common scam.